Linear guides of said type are used in particular in the field of industrial assembly and handling. In this field, use is preferably made of aluminum structural profiles of modular construction, from which it is possible to construct assembly devices which are very easy to automate. The linear guides, which are expediently also produced from aluminum, are likewise of modular construction, such that their dimensions, in particular their guide width, can be variably configured. However, devices which are constructed from modular structural profiles fundamentally have relatively large tolerances. U-shaped carriages for holding the linear ball bearing units are likewise afflicted with relatively large tolerances. Uniform, play-free running of the linear guides is however demanded, such that it is necessary for the linear ball bearing units in the carriage to be pressed laterally against the guide rail in order to compensate tolerances.
Known from the product catalog of the applicant is a generic linear guide in which the adjusting means for pressing the linear ball bearing units against the guide rail without play are embodied as adjusting screws arranged in the carriage at one side. The running behavior of the linear guide after the exertion of the play-free pressing action by means of the screws is, however, dependent significantly on the manual dexterity of the respective assembly technician. The adjustment gap which exists in the receptacle region of the U-shaped carriage also varies on account of tolerances. Furthermore, the screws which are used are very small on account of the available installation space, such that the exertion of a pressing action with a predetermined torque also does not appear to be expedient.
Overall, a reliable establishment of freedom from play and corresponding running quality is difficult to achieve in this way. Furthermore, in the event of torsion acting in the carriage under oscillating load, the adjusting screws can loosen again despite additional securing measures, and an initially-set freedom from play in the linear guide is then eliminated.
Furthermore, EP 0 353 390 A1 discloses a fastening arrangement for a recirculating shoe of a linear guide in which the pressing of the recirculating shoe is realized by means of an eccentric arrangement.
DE 100 16 606 B4, in contrast, describes a device for adjusting the play of a linear guide in which the play is adjusted by means of an expanding element designed as a hollow body.
DE 39 31 351 A1 discloses a recirculating ball unit for a linear guide in which the adjustment of the play is realized by means of a tensioning device which has a tensioning bolt which is of conical design at the end side and which engages with the cone end into a likewise conical bore.
Finally, DE 201 06 914 U1 discloses a linear guide in which, to avoid the use of pressing screws or other manually actuated pressing devices, sliding elements with inclined surfaces are provided, which inclined surfaces interact with actuating elements which likewise have inclined surfaces. Here, the interacting inclined surfaces are also of stepped design in order, in the event of excessive play, to permit a relative movement between the sliding surfaces until the play has been reduced to a minimum value, such that the steps of the interacting surfaces bear against one another with their edges.